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nemo79 · 01-23-2007, 04:34 PM

Hey All, through having my tank all my phos and nitrate test came out 0. I just got a new nitrate test(american pharm) and I did the test tonight. Oh my god it say my nitrates are at 80ppm. I only feed once a day and as much as the fish and cleaner will eat, in a blink of an eye it's gone. I use a filter with the sponge and carbon and I clean that weekly. Should I ditch the spong and just use carbon? I have about 35 or so lbs of LR and about 20 lbs tufa which is speckeld with feather dusters and coraline.

Now I noticed that I had had very little algae and no diatoms and then I did a water change and low and behold I have diatoms on my powerheads and more algae showing up (not alot but more than before). Now the question...how harmful are nitrates and how many water changes should I do to lower them. I won't be able to do one tonight as I have no water made up so thursday would be the soonest to do it as I am really sick and can barely do anything let alone set up a water change.

Any help would be great. Nothing has died the only change is my new lights.

01-23-2007, 04:34 PM	#1 (permalink)
nemo79 Zoanthid Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: ontario, canada Posts: 1,117 Karma: 166	nitrate problem Hey All, through having my tank all my phos and nitrate test came out 0. I just got a new nitrate test(american pharm) and I did the test tonight. Oh my god it say my nitrates are at 80ppm. I only feed once a day and as much as the fish and cleaner will eat, in a blink of an eye it's gone. I use a filter with the sponge and carbon and I clean that weekly. Should I ditch the spong and just use carbon? I have about 35 or so lbs of LR and about 20 lbs tufa which is speckeld with feather dusters and coraline. Now I noticed that I had had very little algae and no diatoms and then I did a water change and low and behold I have diatoms on my powerheads and more algae showing up (not alot but more than before). Now the question...how harmful are nitrates and how many water changes should I do to lower them. I won't be able to do one tonight as I have no water made up so thursday would be the soonest to do it as I am really sick and can barely do anything let alone set up a water change. Any help would be great. Nothing has died the only change is my new lights. _________ 20g 25lbs LR 1 hydor koralia rio nano skimmer FISH: blk/white clown, damsel, yellow watchman goby CORAL: grn open brain, acan, torch, rics, toadstool, zoo's INVERT:[/u] hermits, nassarius, astrea, turbo's, nerites, crocea clam .